of quebec



(No Model.)

N. MATTE -& "0. MONTMINY. APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING AND SEALING ENVB No. 411. 01.

LOPBS. Patented Sept. 24, 1889.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

N. PETEHs. Phatc-Ulugnvhar. wuhin mn, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

NAPOLEON MATTE AND CHARLEs MONTMINY, or QUEBEC, QUEBEC, CANADA.

APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING AND SEALING ENVELOPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,601, dated September 24, 1889.

Application filed February 20, 1889. Serial No. 300,527. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, NAPOLEON MATTE and CHARLES MONTMINY, both of Quebec, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada,

have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Moistening and Sealing Envelopes, of which the following is a full, clear and exact description.

This invention has for its object to provide an apparatus by means of which the gummed flap of envelopes may be readily moistened and the envelopes effectively sealed.

The invention consists in an apparatus for this purpose, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the invention,showi ng an envelope in position for moistening its gum med flap and another envelope in position to be simultaneouslysealed. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the center of the apparatus, showing an envelope in position to be sealed. Fig. 3 is a rear View of the invention; and Fig. 4 is a detail view of one end of the reservoir for moistening the pad.

In carrying out this invention aframe 1,of metal or other suitable material, is provided, which is in the shape of a flat box 2, with an open rear end 3, and adjacent thereto vertical bearings or projections a. lVithin the project-ions 4 is mounted, by means of pivot-pins 5, a cylindrical reservoir 6, having a fiat openended projection 7 for holding a moisteningpad 8. Hinged within the lower portion of projection a. by means of pivot-pins 9 is a heavy metal plate 10,having its forward part resting on the top of the front edge of the frame 1 and its upper surface adjacent to its front edge preferably formed with a raised angular projection 11, conforming in shape to the angular edge of an envelope-flap.

The flat open-ended projection 7 for holding the moisteningpad is of a length to extend overthe metal plate 10, and is formed on its under side, adjacent to its forward end, with the angular cut-away portion 12, corre sponding in shape to the edge of the angular projection 11 of plate 10, leaving a portion of the outer end of the moistening-pad 8 exposed. The outer end of the upper part of the projection 7 is also formed with a V- 5 5 shaped edge 13, corresponding approximately in outline to the edge of an envelope-flap.

The outer end of the moistening-pad Sis held in place by the folded edge 14 of the outer end of the upper part of projection 7 and the bent edge 15 of the outer end of the lower part of projection 7.

The moistening-pad 8, which maybe of felt or other suitable material to hold water, extends through projection 7,into the reservoir 6, where it is kept moistened by water therein, supplied tl'irough a neck 16, covered by a cap 17.

To hold the pad 8 up away from the plate 10 when not in use, acoiled spring 18 is pref- 7o erably employed, secured at one end to one end of the reservoir 6 and at its other end to the adjacent vertical projection 4. By this means, when it is desired to moisten the gummed flap of an envelope 19 laid on the 7 5 projection 11 of plate 10, the projection 7 is drawn down by hand against the tension of spring 18 and the moistened end of pad 8 pressed against the gummed flap of envelope 19. Upon letting go of the projection 7 it will be thrown up out of the way by the action of spring 18. Y

In order to seal the envelope after its gummed flap has been moistened, the plate 10 is raised and the folded envelope placed on a piece of blotting-paper resting on the top of a plate 20, located in the frame 1 beneath plate 1 0, and rendered elastic by being formed with intnrned spring ends 21 or by being provided with any other suitable form of spring-bearing. By swinging the plate 10 down against the folded envelope, the weight of plate 10, pressing the envelope against the blotting-paper and spring-plate 20, will effectively seal the envelope.

It will be seen by means of this apparatus, as hereinbefore set forth, that as the gummed flap of one envelope 19 is moistened by drawing down projection 7 against the plate 10 a second envelope 22, whose gnmmcd flap has 1.00 been already moistened and isplaced in folded position beneath plate 10, is sealed by the pressure of the plate 10. Y

Stamps, gummed labels, and all forms of mail wrappers with gummed flaps may be moistened and sealed by this apparatus.

Having thus described our invention,what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for moistening and sealing the gummed flaps of envelopes and other Wrappers, the combination, with a bed-plate for supporting the gummed edge, of the pivoted cylindrical water-reservoir 6, the flat 2o projections 4, the plate 20, with supporting spring ends 21, located in the forward part of boxing 2, the cylindrical reservoir 6, pivoted in the projections 4 and having the moistening-pad holder 7, projecting over the boxing 2, with the cut-away portion 12 and the moist ening-pad 8,held in projection 7 and extending into reservoir 6, and the weighted plate 10, pivoted at its rear end to the lower part of projections 4, and having its front end resting on the outer edge of boxing 2, with the angular projection 11 on its upper surface conforming to the cut-away portion 12 in the pad-holder 7, substantially as shown and described N. MATTE. CHAS. MONTMINY.

Witnesses:

ELz. CHANEST, THOS. J. MOORE. 

